Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 involved in the analgesic effects of total flavonoids extracted from Longxuejie ().

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analgesic effects of total flavonoids of Longxuejie (Resina Dracaenae Cochinchinensis) (TFDB) and explore the possible analgesic mechanism associated with transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). METHODS: Whole-cell patch clamp technique was used to observe the effects of TFDB on capsaicin-induced TRPV1 currents. Rat experiments in vivo were used to observe the analgesic effects of TFDB. Western blot and immunofluorescence experiments were used to test the change of TRPV1 expression in DRG neurons induced by TFDB. RESULTS: Results showed that TFDB inhibited capsaicin-induced TRPV1 receptor currents in acutely isolated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of rats and the half inhibitory concentration was (16.7 ± 1.6) mg/L. TFDB (2-20 mg/kg) showed analgesic activity in the phase Ⅱ of formalin test and (0.02-2 mg per paw) reduced capsaicin-induced licking times of rats. TFDB (20 mg/kg) was fully efficacious on complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory thermal hyperalgesia and capsaicin could weaken the analgesic effects. The level of TRPV1 expressions of DRG neurons was also decreased in TFDB-treated CFA-inflammatory pain rats. CONCLUSION: All these results indicated that the analgesic effect of TFDB may contribute to their modulations on both function and expression of TRPV1 channels in DRG neurons.

Polysaccharides extracted from larvae of Lucilia sericata ameliorated ulcerative colitis by regulating the intestinal barrier and gut microbiota.

Pest management technology has been a promising bioconversion method for waste resource utilization. Unlike many pests that consume waste, the larvae of Lucilia sericata, also known as maggots, have many outstanding advantages as following: with their strong adaption to environment and not easily infected and exhibiting a medicinal nutritional value. Herein, the potential efficacies of maggot polysaccharides (MP), as well as their underlying mechanisms, were explored in Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice and TNF-α-elicited Caco-2 cells. We extracted two bioactive polysaccharides from maggots, MP-80 and MP-L, whose molecular weights were 4.25 × 103 and 2.28 × 103 g/mol, respectively. MP-80 and MP-L contained nine sugar residues: 1,4-α-Arap, 1,3-ß-Galp, 1,4,6-ß-Galp, 1,6-α-Glcp, 1-α-Glcp, 1,4-ß-Glcp, 1-ß-Xylp, 1,2-α-Manp, and 1-ß-Manp. We demonstrated that MP-80 and MP-L significantly ameliorated DSS-induced symptoms and histopathological damage. Immuno-analysis revealed that compared with MP-L, MP-80 could better restore intestinal barrier and reduced inflammation by suppressing NLRP3/NF-κB pathways, which might be attributed to its enriched galactose fraction. Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that MP-80 and MP-L both improved the dysbiosis and diversity of gut microbiota and acted on multiple microbial functions. Our study sheds new light on the possibility of using maggot polysaccharides as an alternative therapy for colitis.

Polymorph transformation in a mixed-stacking nickel-dithiolene complex with the derivative of 4,4'-bipyridinium.

In this study, two polymorphs of the [1,1'-dibutyl-4,4'-bipyridinium][Ni(mnt)2] salt (1) were synthesized. The dark-green polymorph (designated as 1-g) was prepared under ambient conditions by the rapid precipitation method in aqueous solutions. Subsequently, the red polymorph (labeled as 1-r) was obtained by subjecting 1-g to ultrasonication in MeOH at room temperature. Microanalysis, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) techniques were used to characterize the two polymorphs. Both 1-g and 1-r exhibit structural phase transitions: a reversible phase transition at ∼403 K (∼268 K) upon heating and 384 K (∼252 K) upon cooling for 1-g (1-r) within the temperature range below 473 K. Interestingly, on heating 1-r to 523 K, an irreversible phase transition occurred at about 494 K, resulting in the conversion of 1-r into 1-g. Relative to 1-r, 1-g represents a thermodynamically metastable phase wherein numerous high-energy conformations in butyl chains of cations are confined within the lattice owing to quick precipitation or rapid annealing from higher temperatures. Through variable-temperature single crystal and powder X-ray diffractions, UV-visible spectroscopy, dielectric spectroscopy, and DSC analyses, this study delves into the mechanism underlying phase transitions for each polymorph and the manual transformation between 1-g and 1-r as well.

Heart failure classification using deep learning to extract spatiotemporal features from ECG.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a syndrome with complex clinical manifestations. Due to increasing population aging, heart failure has become a major medical problem worldwide. In this study, we used the MIMIC-III public database to extract the temporal and spatial characteristics of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals from patients with heart failure. METHODS: We developed a NYHA functional classification model for heart failure based on a deep learning method. We introduced an integrating attention mechanism based on the CNN-LSTM-SE model, segmenting the ECG signal into 2 to 20 s long segments. Ablation experiments showed that the 12 s ECG signal segments could be used with the proposed deep learning model for superior classification of heart failure. RESULTS: The accuracy, positive predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity of the NYHA functional classification method were 99.09, 98.9855, 99.033, and 99.649%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive performance of this model exceeds similar methods and can be used to assist in clinical medical diagnoses.

Integrating Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology to Explore the Mechanism of Xiao-Yao-San in the Treatment of Inflammatory Response in CUMS Mice.

Depression can trigger an inflammatory response that affects the immune system, leading to the development of other diseases related to inflammation. Xiao-Yao-San (XYS) is a commonly used formula in clinical practice for treating depression. However, it remains unclear whether XYS has a modulating effect on the inflammatory response associated with depression. The objective of this study was to examine the role and mechanism of XYS in regulating the anti-inflammatory response in depression. A chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mouse model was established to evaluate the antidepressant inflammatory effects of XYS. Metabolomic assays and network pharmacology were utilized to analyze the pathways and targets associated with XYS in its antidepressant inflammatory effects. In addition, molecular docking, immunohistochemistry, Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR), and Western Blot were performed to verify the expression of relevant core targets. The results showed that XYS significantly improved depressive behavior and attenuated the inflammatory response in CUMS mice. Metabolomic analysis revealed the reversible modulation of 21 differential metabolites by XYS in treating depression-related inflammation. Through the combination of liquid chromatography and network pharmacology, we identified seven active ingredients and seven key genes. Furthermore, integrating the predictions from network pharmacology and the findings from metabolomic analysis, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGFA) and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ (PPARG) were identified as the core targets. Molecular docking and related molecular experiments confirmed these results. The present study employed metabolomics and network pharmacology analyses to provide evidence that XYS has the ability to alleviate the inflammatory response in depression through the modulation of multiple metabolic pathways and targets.

(Eu-MOF)-derived Smart luminescent sensing for Ultrasensitive on-site detection of MiR-892b.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important biomacromolecules used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of several diseases. However, current detection strategies are limited by expensive equipment and complicated procedures. Here, we develop a portable, sensitive, and stable (Eu-MOF)-based sensing platform to detect miRNA via smartphone. The Eu-MOF absorbs the carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-tagged probe DNA (pDNA) to generate hybrid pDNA@Eu-MOF, which can efficiently quench the fluorescence of FAM through a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process. When integrated with a smartphone, the nonemissive pDNA@ Eu-MOF hybrid could be utilized as a portable and sensitive platform to sense miRNA (miR-892b) with a detection limit of 0.32 pM, which could be even distinguished by the naked eye. Moreover, this system demonstrates high selectivity for identifying miRNA family members with single-base mismatches. Furthermore, the expression levels of miRNA in cancer cell samples could be analyzed accurately. Therefore, the proposed method offers a promising guideline for the design of MOF-based sensing strategies and expands their potential applications for diagnostic purposes.

Rapid screening and identification of superoxide dismutase activators from traditional Chinese medicines based on affinity ultrafiltration mass chromatography combined with molecular docking.

In the present study, a comprehensive strategy integrating affinity ultrafiltration high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UF-HPLC-Q-TOF-MS), in silico molecular docking and bioassays was established to rapidly screen natural SOD activators from traditional Chinese medicines. As illustrative case studies, Schisandra chinensis, Fructus cnidii and Radix ophiopogonis were chosen to develop and verify the strategy. The HPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to identify the compounds in comparison with reference standards and literature data. A total of eight compounds, including four biphenyl-cyclooctene ligands from Schisandra chinensis and four coumarins from Fructus cnidii, were found to potentially increase SOD activities. No ligands were found in the extract of Radix ophiopogonis. Then, in silico molecular docking was performed to investigate the binding site and binding affinity of the candidates on SOD. Compared to the nonspecific ligands screened from the extract, the specific ligands presented stronger binding affinities. In addition, the activity and kinetic parameters of the SOD-ligand were investigated through an improved pyrogallol autoxidation method. Gomisin J and xanthotoxin showed a stronger ability to increase SOD activities. The present study indicated that combining UF-HPLC-Q-TOF-MS and in silico molecular docking offers a powerful and meaningful tool to rapidly screen SOD activators from traditional Chinese medicines.

Thermochromism of rapid responses to temperature changes versus mechanochromism in a Ni-dithiolene complex salt.

A thermochromic or mechanochromic material can switch between at least two stable states in response to changes in temperature or static pressure/strain. In this study, we investigated a Ni-dithiolene dianion salt, 1,1'-diheptyl-4,4'-bipyridinium bis(maleonitriledithiolato)nickelate (1), and found that its cations and anions stack alternately to form a uniform mixed stack. These mixed stacks then combine to form a molecular solid through Coulomb and van der Waals interactions. Upon heating, 1 undergoes a reversible phase transition at around 340/320 K during the first heating/cooling cycle, resulting in rapid thermochromism with a color change from green (stable state) to red (metastable state) within a few seconds. This is the first report of a crystal of bis(maleonitriledithiolato)nickelate(II) salt with green color. Additionally, 1 exhibits irreversible mechanochromism, intense near-IR absorbance, and a dielectric anomaly. The structural phase transition is responsible for these properties, as it induces alterations in the π-orbital overlap between the anion and cation within a mixed stack. The intense near-IR absorbance arises from the ion-pair charge transfer transition from [Ni(mnt)2]2- to 4,4'-bipyridinium.

Traditional Chinese Medicine constitution types of high-normal blood pressure: A meta-analysis.

Objective: We determined the distribution of constitutional types of high-normal blood pressure in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and provided evidence for the prevention of high-normal blood pressure and hypertension. Methods: Eight digital databases were searched from January 2011 to November 2022, including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, CNKI, CBM, Wangfang, and CQVIP. We performed a meta-analysis with the random-effects model or fixed-effects model to describe the distribution of constitutional types of high-normal blood pressure in TCM. The studies were assessed based on heterogeneity testing and the potential for publication bias. The meta-analysis was performed on Stata software 15.0. Results: A total of 17 studies with 8118 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The proportion of the biased constitution (82.3%; 95% CI: 75.6%-89.1%, p < 0.001) was higher than the balanced constitution (17.3%; 95% CI: 10.7-23.8%, p < 0.001). Phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and damp-heat constitution accounted for 16.0% (95%CI: 10.5-21.5%, p < 0.001), 14.8% (95% CI: 11.0-18.6%, p < 0.001), 11.3% (95% CI: 8.0-14.5%, p < 0.001) of the total high-normal blood pressure cases, respectively. The subgroup analyses performed that region, age and gender were positively associated with the distribution of constitution types of high-normal blood pressure in TCM. Compared with the general population, the risk of high-normal blood pressure in people with the phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and blood-stasis constitution was 2.665 (95%CI: 2.286-3.106, p < 0.001), 2.378 (95%CI: 1.197-4.724, p = 0.013), 1.965 (95%CI: 1.634-2.363, p < 0.001) times of the general population, respectively. Meanwhile, the risk of high-normal blood pressure was lower in people with a balanced constitution (0.248, 95%CI: 0.165-0.372, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and damp-heat constitution were the common constitution types of high-normal blood pressure. There might also be differences in the distribution characteristics of TCM constitution among people with high-normal blood pressure in different regions, ages, and genders. Finally, a balanced constitution might be a protective factor for hypertensive people.

Research progress of medication treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Age-related macular degeneration(ARMD)is one of the leading causes of irreversible visual impairment worldwide, and the number of patients is increasing with the aging of the population, with dry ARMD accounting for about 90% of cases. Effective treatments for dry ARMD are currently lacking, making it a prominent area of research. Pharmacotherapy, targeting pathogenic factors such as oxidative damage, inflammation, and vascular issues contributing to ARMD, is one of the main treatments and some drugs have been shown to slow the progression of ARMD. This article reviews drug treatments for dry ARMD, including antioxidant drugs, complement biological agents, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants, vasodilators, neurotrophic drugs, as well as traditional Chinese medicine. It summarizes their mechanisms and recent clinical research to contribute valuable insights for the treatment of dry ARMD and the development of novel therapeutic agents.

The Circadian System Is Essential for the Crosstalk of VEGF-Notch-mediated Endothelial Angiogenesis in Ischemic Stroke / 神经科学通报·英文版

Ischemic stroke is a major public health problem worldwide. Although the circadian clock is involved in the process of ischemic stroke, the exact mechanism of the circadian clock in regulating angiogenesis after cerebral infarction remains unclear. In the present study, we determined that environmental circadian disruption (ECD) increased the stroke severity and impaired angiogenesis in the rat middle cerebral artery occlusion model, by measuring the infarct volume, neurological tests, and angiogenesis-related protein. We further report that Bmal1 plays an irreplaceable role in angiogenesis. Overexpression of Bmal1 promoted tube-forming, migration, and wound healing, and upregulated the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Notch pathway protein levels. This promoting effect was reversed by the Notch pathway inhibitor DAPT, according to the results of angiogenesis capacity and VEGF pathway protein level. In conclusion, our study reveals the intervention of ECD in angiogenesis in ischemic stroke and further identifies the exact mechanism by which Bmal1 regulates angiogenesis through the VEGF-Notch1 pathway.

Feasibility study of using bridging temporary permanent pacemaker in patients with high-degree atrioventricular block after TAVR / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To determine the feasibility of using temporary permanent pacemaker (TPPM) in patients with high-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as bridging strategy to reduce avoidable permanent pacemaker implantation. Methods: This is a prospective observational study. Consecutive patients undergoing TAVR at Beijing Anzhen Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from August 2021 to February 2022 were screened. Patients with high-degree AVB and TPPM were included. Patients were followed up for 4 weeks with pacemaker interrogation at every week. The endpoint was the success rate of TPPM removal and free from permanent pacemaker at 1 month after TPPM. The criteria of removing TPPM was no indication of permanent pacing and no pacing signal in 12 lead electrocardiogram (EGG) and 24 hours dynamic EGG, meanwhile the last pacemaker interrogation indicated that ventricular pacing rate was 0. Routinely follow-up ECG was extended to 6 months after removal of TPPM. Results: Ten patients met the inclusion criteria for TPPM, aged (77.0±11.1) years, wirh 7 females. There were 7 patients with third-degree AVB, 1 patient with second-degree AVB, 2 patients with first degree AVB with PR interval>240 ms and LBBB with QRS duration>150 ms. TPPM were applied on the 10 patients for (35±7) days. Among 8 patients with high-degree AVB, 3 recovered to sinus rhythm, and 3 recovered to sinus rhythm with bundle branch block. The other 2 patients with persistent third-degree AVB received permanent pacemaker implantation. For the 2 patients with first-degree AVB and LBBB, PR interval shortened to within 200 ms. TPPM was successfully removed in 8 patients (8/10) at 1 month without permanent pacemaker implantation, of which 2 patients recovered within 24 hours after TAVR and 6 patients recovered 24 hours later after TAVR. No aggravation of conduction block or permanent pacemaker indication were observed in 8 patients during follow-up at 6 months. No procedure-related adverse events occurred in all patients. Conclusion: TPPM is reliable and safe to provide certain buffer time to distinguish whether a permanent pacemaker is necessary in patients with high-degree conduction block after TAVR.

Associations of genetic variations in pyroptosis related genes with acute adverse events in postoperative rectal cancer patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: This study aims to investigate the associations between genetic variations of pyroptosis pathway related key genes and adverse events (AEs) of postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with rectal cancer. Methods: DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood which was collected from 347 patients before CRT. Sequenom MassARRAY was used to detect the genotypes of 43 haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (htSNPs) in eight pyroptosis genes, including absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), caspase-1 (CASP1), caspase-4(CASP4), caspase-5 (CASP5), caspase-11 (CASP11), gasdermin D (GSDMD), gasdermin E (GSDME) and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3). The associations between 43 htSNPs and AEs were evaluated by the odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by unconditional logistic regression models, adjusted for sex, age, clinical stage, tumor grade, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), surgical procedure, and tumor location. Results: Among the 347 patients with rectal cancer underwent concurrent CRT with capecitabine after surgery, a total of 101(29.1%) occurred grade ≥ 2 leukopenia. rs11226565 (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.21-0.79, P=0.008), rs579408(OR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.03-2.29, P=0.034) and rs543923 (OR=0.63, 95% CI: 0.41-0.98, P=0.040) were significantly associated with the occurrence of grade ≥ 2 leukopenia. One hundred and fifty-six (45.0%) had grade ≥ 2 diarrhea, two SNPs were significantly associated with the occurrence of grade ≥ diarrhea, including CASP11 rs10880868 (OR=0.55, 95% CI: 0.33-0.91, P=0.020) and GSDME rs2954558 (OR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.01-2.31, P=0.050). In addition, sixty-six cases (19.0%) developed grade ≥2 dermatitis, three SNPs that significantly associated with the risk of grade ≥2 dermatitis included GSDME rs2237314 (OR=0.36, 95% CI: 0.16-0.83, P=0.017), GSDME rs12540919 (OR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.27-0.99, P=0.045) and NLRP3 rs3806268 (OR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.03-2.22, P=0.037). There was no significant difference in the association between other genetic variations and AEs of rectal cancer patients (all P>0.05). Surgical procedure and tumor location had great impacts on the occurrence of grade ≥2 diarrhea and dermatitis (all P<0.01). Conclusion: The genetic variants of CASP4, CASP11, GSDME and NLRP3 are associated with the occurrence of AEs in patients with rectal cancer who received postoperative CRT, suggesting they may be potential genetic markers in predicting the grade of AEs to achieve individualized treatment of rectal cancer.

Effects of adatom species on the structure, stability, and work function of adatom-α-borophene nanocomposites.

Work function-tunable borophene-based electrode materials are of significant importance because they promote efficient carrier extraction/injection, thereby enabling electronic devices to achieve maximum energy conversion efficiency. Accordingly, determining the work function of adatom-borophene nanocomposites within a series wherein the adatom is systematically changed will facilitate the design of such materials. In this study, we theoretically determined that the M-B bond length, binding energy, electron transfer between adatoms and BBP, and work function (ϕ) are linearly dependent on the ionization potential (IP) and electronegativity for thermodynamically and kinetically stable adatom-α-borophene (M/BBP) systems involving a series of alkali (earth) metal/BBP (M = Li-Cs; Be-Ba) and halogen/BBP (M = F-I), respectively. However, the binding energies of Li/BBP and Be/BBP deviate from these dependencies owing to their super small adatoms and the resulting significantly enhanced effective M-B bonding areas. By interpreting the electron transfer picture among the different parts of M/BBP, we confirmed that metallic M/BBP possesses ionic sp-p and dsp-p M-B bonds in alkali (earth) metal/BBP but covalent-featured ionic p-p interactions in halogen/BBP. In particular, the direct proportionality between IP and ϕ for alkali (earth) metal/BBP originates from the synergistic effect of charge rearrangement and the increased induced dipole moment; however, the inverse proportionality between electronegativity and ϕ for halogen/BBP arises from the adsorption induced charge redistribution. Our results provide guidance for experimental efforts toward the realization of work function-tunable borophene-based electrodes as well as insight into the bonding rules between various adatoms and α-borophene.

A novel strategy for screening angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors from natural products based on enzyme-immobilized ligand fishing combined with active-site blocking and directional enrichment.

Some natural products are important sources of treatments for hypertension based on their potential inhibitory effects on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE); however, it is difficult to identify natural ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) due to the complex secondary metabolite environment of natural products. Enzyme immobilization is an important method for screening active constituents in natural products, but this method can sometimes return false-positive and false-negative results. To improve the accuracy and reliability of ligand-fishing methods, we established a novel strategy based on enzyme-immobilized ligand fishing combined with active-site blocking and directional enrichment technologies. We first synthesized ACE-immobilized mesoporous magnetic beads and then verified the screened compounds by molecular docking and in vitro activity detection. We then used active-site blocking to exclude non-specific binding constituents and applied directional enrichment to enrich the low-content constituents for ligand fishing. The screening identified six potential ACEIs from Scutellariae Radix and eight potential ACEIs from Lonicerae japonicae flos, and their inhibitory activity was confirmed by molecular docking simulations and in vitro activity detection. This process screened six additional compounds and excluded two false-positive results as compared with results exclusively using enzyme immobilization. This strategy provides a feasible method for screening active compounds in natural products.

Quality evaluation of Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum by HPLC fingerprint and multi-component quantitative analysis / 中国中药杂志

The present study detected the component content in Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum by HPLC fingerprint and the multi-component determination method. HPLC analysis was performed on the Agilent ZORBAX SB-C_(18) column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm). Acetonitrile-0.5% phosphoric acid aqueous solution with gradient elution was employed as the mobile phase. The flow rate was 1.0 mL·min~(-1) and the column temperature was maintained at 30 ℃. The detection wavelength was 210 nm and the sample volume was 10 μL. The similarity of 18 batches of Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum was 0.343-0.779, indicating that there were great differences between different batches of Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum. Eighteen common peaks were identified, including eight flavonoids such as liquiritigenin and latifolin. The mass fractions of liquiritigenin, luteolin, naringenin, isoliquiritigenin, formononetin, dalbergin, latifolin, and pinocembrin were in the ranges of 0.134 1%-0.495 2%, 0.028 2%-0.167 0%, 0.016 3%-0.591 3%, 0.053 5%-0.188 0%, 0.142 4%-0.640 1%, 0.068 0%-0.590 7%, 0.003 2%-1.980 7%, and 0.009 6%-0.740 2%, respectively. Eighteen batches of Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum were divided into three categories by cluster analysis and eight differential components in Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum were marked by partial least-squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA). The cumulative variance contribution rate was 90.5%. The HPLC fingerprint combined with the multi-component determination method for Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum is easy in operation and accurate in results, with good repeatability and reliability. The quality of Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum can be evaluated and analyzed by the PLS-DA model. This study is expected to provide a reference for the quality control and clinical application of Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum.

Comparative study of rat serum pharmacochemistry between Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS / 中国中药杂志

UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and serum pharmacochemistry were employed to study the migrating components in rat sera after intragastric administration of the water extracts of Puerariae Lobatae Radix(PLR) and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix(PTR). After the respective intragastric administration of PLR and PTR extracts, blood samples were collected from the orbital vein. The serum samples were treated by protein precipitation method with methanol and acetonitrile at a ratio of 1∶1 and then passed through Agilent ZORBAX RRHD SB-C_(18) column(3 mm×100 mm, 1.8 μm) and Agilent SB-C_(18) pre-column(3 mm×5 mm, 1.8 μm) with 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution(A)-acetonitrile(B) as the mobile phase. The elution was performed at the flow rate of 0.25 mL·min~(-1), the column temperature of 40 ℃, and the injection volume of 2 μL. By comparison of the total ion chromatogram and secondary fragment ion information of PLR and PTR water extracts, PLR-and PTR-containing sera, and blank serum, we found 42 migrating components(including 17 prototype components and 25 metabolites) in the sera of rats treated with PLR and 35 migrating components(including 15 prototype components and 20 metabolites) in the sera of rats treated with PTR. Thirty-three common components were shared by the two treatments, including 13 prototype components and 20 metabolites. The differences of migrating components in the PLR-and PTR-treated rat sera provide a scientific basis for further study of the active components and quality markers of PLR and PTR.

A Semiconductive Nature of Bis(dithiolato)nickelate Radical Salt Exhibiting Broadband Photoconduction.

The fractional oxidation state [M(dmit)2] (dmit2- = 2-thioxo-1, 3-dithiole-4, 5-dithiolate) salts have long attracted attention in the molecular metal area owing to high conductivity and even superconductivity. In this study, we achieved a mixed-valence salt (1) of [Ni(dmit)2]0.5- with monovalent 1,3-N,N-dimethyl-imidazolium (DiMIm+) by a solvent evaporation approach under ambient conditions. The mixed valence of [Ni(dmit)2]0.5- has been characterized by an analysis of the IR spectrum and crystal structure. In the crystal structure of 1, two [Ni(dmit)2]0.5- anions overlap in an eclipsed mode to form a [Ni(dmit)2]21- dimer, featuring a radical bearing an S = 1/2 spin; the dimeric radicals stack into a column along the b axis, and the adjacent columns connect together via the lateral-to-lateral S···S contacts along the a axis, and through the head-to-head S···S contacts along the [101] direction. Salt 1 shows the magnetic behavior of an S = 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnetic uniform linear chain with J/kB = -47.5(4) K and a semiconducting feature with σ = 2.52 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 293 K, 2.32 × 10-2 S cm-1 at 373 K, and Ea = 0.22 eV, as well as broadband photoconductivity under irradiation of green and white lights. This study suggests the possibility of designing new photoconductors based on the mixed-valence [Ni(dmit)2]0.5- salt.

Imparting α-Borophene with High Work Function by Fluorine Adsorption: A First-Principles Investigation.

Increasing the work function of borophene over a large range is crucial for the development of borophene-based anode materials for highly efficient electronic devices. In this study, the effect of fluorine adsorption on the structures and stabilities, particularly on the work function, of α-borophene (BBP), was systematically investigated via first-principles density functional theory. The calculations indicated that BBP was well-stabilized by fluorine adsorption and the work functions of metallic fluorine-adsorbed BBPs (Fn-BBPs) sharply increased with increasing fluorine content. Moreover, the work function of F-BBP was close to that of the frequently used anode material Au and even, for other Fn-BBPs, higher than that of Pt. Furthermore, we have comprehensively discussed the factors, including substrate deformation, charge transfer, induced dipole moment, and Fermi and vacuum energy levels, affecting the improvement of work function. Particularly, we have demonstrated that the charge redistribution of the substrate induced by the bonding interaction between fluorine and the matrix predominantly contributes to the observed increase in the work function. Additionally, the effect of fluorine adsorption on the increase in the work function of BBP was significantly stronger than that of silicene or graphene. Our results concretely support the fact that Fn-BBPs can be extremely attractive anode materials for electronic device applications.

Inhibitory Effect of Astragalus Polysaccharide Combined with Cisplatin on Cell Cycle and Migration of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cell Lines.

Background Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) had shown great promise in anti-tumour activities in our previous studies. The present study was designed to investigate whether APS has synergistic effect with cisplatin on the growth-inhibitory of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines and the possible mechanism. Methods Here, nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines (CNE-1) were divided into CNE-1 group, Cisplatin treatment group (2 µg/mL Cisplatin), APS treatment group (200 µg/mL APS) and combination group (2 µg/mL Cisplatin and 200 µg/mL APS). The proliferation inhibition rate of CNE-1 cells was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) method after treatment with different concentrations of APS for 24, 48, and 72 h. Apoptosis rates and cell cycle retardation of cells were detected by flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion was evaluated by transwell assay. Western blotting and quantitative (q)RT-PCR were performed to detect the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), p53 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) proteins in CNE-1 cells. Results APS have an inhibition on the proliferation of CNE-1 cells with time and dose dependence manner. Both the APS and combination therapy could promote apoptosis of CNE-1 cells, with the count of cells increased in G0/G1 and S phase while decreased in G2/M phase, and inhibited the migration and invasion of CNE-1 cells. Moreover, co-administration of Cisplatin and APS was more efficacious for the antitumor effect than either agent alone, as evidenced by the significant decrease in MMP-9 level and increase in p53. Conclusion APS, in combination with cisplatin, had significantly synergistic growth-inhibitory effect on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines, which may be related to cell cycle and migration induction.